


Guardian

by Insomniac_with_dreams



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Guardian Angels, Angel Allura (Voltron), Angel Coran - Freeform, Angel Shiro (Voltron), Car Accidents, Character Death, Cute Keith (Voltron), Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Shy Keith (Voltron), White Haired Coran, angel keith
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2020-06-25 02:57:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19736944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insomniac_with_dreams/pseuds/Insomniac_with_dreams
Summary: "Is he different for a reason?" Shiro asked placing the scroll in his hands on the table. Coran looked at him, a hand messing with the hair on his top lip,"Shiro everything is for a reason. Don't forget that."





	1. Chapter 1

"Keith! Keith!" Where was he, Shiro thought as he sped walked through the orchards. He craned his neck trying to catch a glimpse of that unmistakable head of black hair, or his unique over sized wings. Shiro's own wings flicked at his excitement, he had big news for Keith. If he could find him. Shiro pushed a branch heavy with fruit out of his way and saw one of Keith's wings sticking out from behind a tree.

Keith looked unlike any of the angels Shiro had ever seen. For one Keith's hair was colored an inky black, the other angles hair was stark white and somewhat pearly. Keith's wings also looked that they didn't belong here. Shiro's wings were unique, gold and white. Many angles only had white, but Keith's were so different. Big, brown, fawn, with white specks. Hawk wings Shiro had thought when Keith had come.

Shiro walked around the tree to face Keith who sat up as he saw Shiro sheepishly trying to straighten his off kilter halo and rumpled feathers. The gold swirls on his arms and thighs sparkled as he sat up. The ones on his chest right above his heart were still shadowed. He only wore a pair of black shorts. That was normal though. Shiro only wore soft white pants that showed off his ankles. 

"Keith I'm so glad I found you. I have some great news!" Keith stopped grooming his feathers and looked up at Shiro.

"Did Kosmo show up yet?" Shiro's smile faltered. Kosmo had been Keith's dog before he had died, and with Keith's different looks he was lonely. Almost everyday he would ask or wait by the gate to see if his friend would come through. A dog had come through but it wasn't Kosmo.

"Ah, well. No. But this news is better." Keith stared at him expectantly, " You've been chosen to be a guardian." 

Keith stared at him, his eyes growing wide and his mouth fell open,

"Are you serious? Me? They chose me?" He put a palm to his forehead in disbelief before glaring at Shiro. "You're not playing with me right?" Shiro shook his head,

"Why would I kid about something this big?" Keith jumped to his feet further knocking his halo askew. His wings flared and his cheeks glowed pink in excitement.

"They chose me! They chose me!" Keith sang excitedly, " Shiro! They chose me!" Shiro was nodding and smiling. Keith was walking in circles murmuring happily the tips of his wings dragging the ground. Shiro grinned at the sight of the little angel so happy. For it being Heaven, Keith was rarely happy.

Keith suddenly stopped and turned to Shiro,

"Who was I assigned to?" Shiro laughed and reached up to straighten Keith's halo.

"Lets go see."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The center of Heaven was where angels got chosen and who they were assigned to. It was a big white marble and gold building stretching far up into the galaxy that swirled above it. Shiro strode towards it with purpose greeting people he worked with, Keith however covered his face with his wing. Not that it helped to much he stuck out like a sore thumb.

Angels in Heaven aren't rude but they still glance oddly at Keith as he climbs the stairs behind Shiro. They enter the main hall of the building and Keith can't help but gasp. It's huge and everything sparkles. He stops in the the middle of the room and slowly turns while looking up at the never ending ceiling. Shiro chuckles and calls him over.

"We need to go to Coran's office. It's almost at the top floor, so we get to take the elevator." Keith follows him into the golden cage, apologizing softly as his wings hit someone in the face. He backs himself into a corner and stays there. His wings pushed up and spread out over the top of the elevator. Shiro watches and winces each time Keith whispers a sorry. He feels himself relaxing and scooting around to be with Keith as angels got off. Finally it was only them in the elevator and Keith let out a sigh of relief as he was able to stretch his wings again.

Finally the number above the door read half of an infinity sigh. Keith stared at it in awe,

"What is on the infinitive floor?" Shiro smiled and lead Keith out of the elevator.

"That's where the big man himself lives." Keith nodded,

"Have you met him?" Shiro shook his head with a laugh,

"Oh no, I don't have V.I.P access." Keith giggled as Shiro opened a door and stepped in. This office was different from the whole building and Keith felt more at ease. It was full of browns and rusts, and warm light. Not the blaring light from the lower levels. Keith felt as if he could blend in here.

An angel with flowing white hair walked into the office flipping through a pile of scrolls.

"Hello Allura." Shiro greeted. Allura looked up a bit startled,

"Oh, hello Shiro." She looked Keith up and down. He grew shy under her gaze and squeezed his wings to his arms.

"I'm terribly sorry but I can't for the life of me remember your name." Allura said gently and Keith emerged a little to tell her his name before ducking under his wing again.

Allura gave Shiro a bemused smile before placing the scrolls down,

"Are you here inquiring after A-" 

"Uh, no. No. Not today." Shiro cut her off and pulled Keith so he stood in front of him. "No, Keith has been chosen and we're here for his assignment." Allura clasped her hands,

"Oh Keith, that's wonderful! Just go through that curtain and you'll find Coran he'll help you. Me and Shiro will be there soon." Keith shot a nervous look at Shiro who nodded encouragingly, before stepping through the door. They could hear Coran greeting him cheerfully. Allura turned on Shiro,

"Is he a baby?" Shiro sighed and shook his head,

"He died when he was nineteen." Allura looked shocked,

"Then why?" Shiro sighed again,

"Coran says it has to do with growing up to fast. He was forced to shut his inner child down when he was to young, in order to survive. He said becoming an angel re awoke it. So he is kind of living his lost childhood now. So he acts a little young for his age." Allura hummed. Things like that were rare but not unheard of, Heaven returned things lost.

Coran stuck his head through the curtain,

"Come on back guys we're about to have the great reveal." Shiro and Allura joined Coran and Keith in the room behind the curtain. It was a tight fit with three pairs of wings and Keith's but they made it. Coran grabbed a light blue scroll and handed it to Keith who held it delicately. He slipped off the blue ribbon and stared down at his assignment. A little boy with tan skin and unruly brown hair, blue eyes and a gape toothed smile.

"Lance Leandro McClain. He looks a little different as he is no longer seven, but he is in need of you Keith. What do you think?" Coran said watching for Keith's reaction.

_Lance._ He was perfect. Keith looked up smiling,

"I'm going to protect him with everything in me." The other three angels smiled back.

"Now," Coran clapped his hands, " What is the number one rule for being a guardian angel?" Keith thought for a bit and then sighed,

"Somethings happen for a reason. If it feels like an event should happen, I should let it happen." It was a hard truth but it made man mortal, and therefore it was crucial to follow it.

"Alright Keith, you are ready to go and guard Lance Leandro McClain from his own error and the horror of the world, I name you an official Guardian Angel." A soft light glowed around Keith before slowly fading out. Shiro and Allura were smiling proudly at Keith and Coran turned to them,

"Shiro you will guide him to the stairway. Good luck Keith." Keith smiled and quietly thanked both Coran and Allura before following Shiro back out.

They stood at the top of the staircase leading down to Earth. Keith drew in a breath and stood straight and ruffled his feathers before turning to Shiro,

"I always wanted a guardian angel. I really could have used one."Shiro felt his heart break a little and he pulled Keith into a hug,

"I know, and you deserved one Keith." Keith nodded but pulled away smiling at Shiro,

"I'm going to be the best for him, so he doesn't have to feel all alone like I did." Shiro smiled,

"You'll be the best. Now go on before I keep you here." Keith nodded and began down the stairs before running back up his big wings flopping and throwing his arms around Shiro again.

"Thank you for everything. And if Kosmo comes while I'm gone take care of him for me." Shiro nodded feeling tears in is eyes, an odd feeling he hadn't cried since being here.

"I will I promise." Keith disentangled himself and began down the stairs again. Shiro watched until his wings disappeared then he looked to the swirling galaxy willing the tears away, before heading back to Coran's office. 


	2. Chapter 2

The stairs went through fazes of light and dark. His footfalls echoed and he could hear his wings brushing the ground behind him. Part of him wanted to run back up to Shiro and return to playing alone in the fields. What did he know about being a Guardian? Nothing. He came to a stop feeling the very human feeling of doubt making his stomach churn. What was he thinking? He knew nothing about anything. He would probably end up killing Lance if anything.

He sat down on the stairs big wings fluttering. He should have declined, but he was so excited. He let it cloud his judgement. He wrapped a wing around himself whimpering slightly the fact that he was entirely alone hitting him. The stair flashed again and Keith burrowed deeper into his ugly wings. He stared out over the golden stair rail into the deep black void.

It was empty and foreboding. Ahead of him the stairs flashed golden in light, only there though. The stairs where he now sat and the stairs behind him remained in the thick pressing black.

_I have to keep going._ Keith thought suddenly as he watched the golden light . If he didn't want to be swallowed in the darkness he had to get up, he had to walk to the light, it wouldn't come to him.

Keith took a few breaths before standing, pulling himself up with the rail. He trembled a bit and looked up,

"Father, forgive me if I cannot protect this soul." With the prayer on his lips he began to walk towards the light. Each step a little easier as he forced himself to think of things besides his insecurities.

The light followed him the rest of the way down, to a door. A blue door with the resentments of dinosaur and monster truck stickers stuck to it. The doorknob glowed faintly beckoning him to. He glanced back behind him at the now completely black staircase. He could do this, he wanted to do this. 

He opened the door.

It was a bedroom. Blue walls covered in posters and pennants. An open window with broken shades stuck at the top. A messy bed with blue covers spilling off of it and pillows askew. Keith stared a feeling a vertigo hitting him in the face. He was on Earth, the place he hadn't been to in so long. The place that he had been born the place he had died.

He walked further into the room, wings bumping the dirty clothes on the floor. He trailed his fingers over the t.v. and game controls, fiddling with the buttons. He rubbed the fabric of a soft throw that was heaped in the desk chair. He picked up a pencil that lay on the desk and with trembling hands wrote his name on a piece of paper. Giggling with joy that he still knew how. 

He continued his exploration before stopping in front of a long mirror. He looks himself up and down frowning. He was so ugly. He didn't posses the elegant beauty of the other angels. His wings were huge and dumpy an ugly brown, and no matter how many times he tried to smooth them down he always had rumpled feathers. His hair was constantly a disaster, Shiro had even said so, it was also so wrongly colored. Black, like the void on the stairs.

Keith looks down at his body, he's small for his age really small. He feels pinpricks behind his eyes as he stares at the golden swirls marring this arms legs and above his heart. He was ugly there was no way around it. What if lance hated him? What if he wanted a perfect shimmering unearthly being? What if he was disappointed by Keith who looked like a bird that fell out of a tree.

Keith sighed and turned away from his reflection. Where was Lance anyway? He wasn't here. Keith walked over to the window and looked out. It looked like a generic neighborhood where every house looks the same. All big modern and two storied. A few kids played out in a back yard and a post man was making his rounds, but that was about it. He turned in a circle. Should he go find Lance? He thought about and decided the stairs had led him here so he should stay here.

He saw another door in the corner of the room and he walked over to it. It was a closet and Keith giggled as he saw even more blue, Lance must really love blue. Keith stood there staring into the closet feeling as if he needed to do something with it.

_The shelf._ Keith jumped up his wings flaring and allowing him to hover in the air for a bit. The shelf in the closet was dusty with a few small boxes stacked around. A light glow was coming from behind a box and Keith pushed it aside to see a bear. A well worn bear, with fraying seams and a missing ear. Keith pulled it out and landed softly back on the ground to look it over better. It had stopped glowing when Keith had touched it and now looked a dull brown. Keith loved it.

He ran his hands over the worn soft fabric. _It is important to him. It was a gift from his grandmother._ Keith smiled at it and brought it to his chest in a squeeze. When he brought it away it looked fuller and less dirty. Keith laughed,

"I'm a plushy doctor." He set the bear in his palm and plucked at it's single ear. "Why have you been neglected?" _Memories._ Keith nodded,

"I see. Well maybe I can help him to see these memories and you in a brighter light." Keith walked back over the the bed and placed the plushy down onto it before sitting down himself. It was a very comfortable bed and Keith happily stretched his wings out. Above the bed was a shelf holding trophies and pictures of Lance with several different people. He looked very happy smiling big and wide in every picture. Coran was right he does look different.

Keith curls on the bed one wing under him like a cradle the other one covering him. Angels don't need sleep but Keith liked it and what else was he to do.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"He made it Shiro, you can stop wearing holes in my floor." Coran said as he poked his head through the door. Shiro looked up from where he'd been pacing and let out a revealed sigh. Coran walked out into the office carrying out a pile off scrolls, one falls to the floor and Shiro stoops to grab it. He followed Coran to a table already piled high with scrolls.

"Is he different for a reason?" Shiro asked placing the scroll in his hand on the table. Coran looked at him playing with the hair on his top lip.

"Everything is for a reason. Don't forget that Shiro." Shiro sighed,

"I know, but Keith, Keith is so different and he knows it." Shiro ran a hand through his hair before looking Coran square in the eye,

"What if Lance doesn't like him?" Coran clapped a hand on Shiro's shoulder,

"Shiro, it is always a question of whether or not the human will like there angel. It's a possibility for everyone." Coran chuckled, "I remember worrying constantly if Allura would like me. And guess what it worked out fine." Shiro nodded a bit reluctantly. He looked at the blue scroll on the table,

"It's just that I've seen what happens to rejected angels. I can't let that happen to Keith." Coran smiled gently,

"You have nothing to worry about, but if you want to keep an eye on him go talk to Allura she can help you." Shiro smiled at Coran.

"Do you ever miss being down there?" Coran laughed,

"A few things yes. Like my hair color, I am quite jealous of Keith for his." Shiro barked out a laugh.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"What the-?!" Keith was startled awake by someone yelling from the door. They probably cussed but angels censor for bad words. Keith sat up unfurling his wings and rubbing his eyes. Lance stood in his doorway mouth hanging open,

"Who are you? You have wings!" Lance said sounding a little breathless. Keith stood up and offered a shy smile trying not to hide behind his wings.

"Hi Lance. I'm Keith, your guardian angel." 


	3. Chapter 3

Lance stared at him and he stared back, his wings slowly moving to cover his face. He forced them down and shyly tried to straighten his halo. Lance was still staring,

"If your eyes get any bigger they might fall out." Keith said sheepishly. That seemed to pull Lance from his daze and his mouth snapped shut,

"This is a joke right? Like there isn't really an angel on my bed. Just some really cute boy with wings taped to his back." Keith frowned,

"No. My wings are real. Look." He turned around so Lance could see where they protruded from his back. When he turned back around lance was gaping again, but seemed to regain his composer sooner. He put a hand to his forehead and leaned back against the wall,

"Maybe I have swallowed way to much pool water like Hunk said, I'm hallucinating." Keith made a little noise in the back of his throat,

"You shouldn't drink pool water it's not very good, and I'm real." Lance let out a dry laugh leveling him with a stare,

"Yeah no, guardian angels aren't real." 

Something seemed to wash through Keith leaving him feeling old and drawn. He let out a shuttering breath a hand going to his heart that felt as if it were being squeezed. He didn't like the feeling, at all. He looked at Lance feeling scared tears building in his eyes,

"I-I'm real, I promise. Look" He reached for Lance's hand," I can touch you." Lance stared at where Keith held his hand. He swallowed and looked back at Keith,

"You are real. And you're here to protect me." Keith nodded and let go of his hand smiling. Lance nodded,

"Okay. Okay. So there is an angel in my bedroom. That's normal, yeah completely normal." Lance tried to smile back at Keith but he found it rather hard,

"What are you here to guard me from?" Keith's cheeks lit up pink and his dark eyes sparkled at the question,

"I'm here to guard you from your own stupidity and the horrors of the world, or something Like that."

"So like if I'm about to stick a fork in a toaster you'd stop me?" Keith nodded.

"If I was about to get hit by a train you'd stop the train?" Keith nodded.

"If I was dying as an old man you'd stop me?" Keith shook his head,

"No I can't interfere with that." Lance raised an eyebrow at him,

"Why?" Keith sighed and sat down on the bed, Lance slowly followed him.

"Lance somethings happen for a reason, I don't know why but it just works that way. As you guardian it is my duty to not interfere if I feel there is reason behind the action. You see it allows humans to be mortal, to die." Lance looked confused,

"What if i don't want to die?"

"Everyone wants to or will want to die at some point." Keith said softly. They sit in silence but Keith could feel Lance's eyes traveling up and down his body. He jumped as he felt a hand on his wing snapping his head around to look at Lance. 

Their eyes met and Lance swallowed his cheeks turning a light pink. Keith giggled and poked at his cheeks,

"Mine do that too! Shiro says it's because I get way to excited about stuff." He lowered his hand and Lance turned away quickly muttering something. Keith felt the little bubble of warmth in his chest deflate a little. Lance was mad at him. Keith reached out and carefully touched him,

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you mad." Lance whipped his head back around to stare at Keith,

"I'm not mad at you. I'm just, uh, overwhelmed. That's all." Keith smiled a little at that,

"Don't worry me too." Lance was able to smile at him this time and Keith felt a little puff of pride. Lance stood rubbing his palms together,

"SO are you just gonna follow me around?" Lance asked and Keith nodded.

"No one else can see me so you might as well not bother trying to show me to anyone." Keith added a happy little smile on his face, " You can also just talk to me if you want. I like talking to people, I'm just not good at it."

Lance was watching him again an slight amused smile on his face,

"How do you know my name? I just realized I never told you." 

"Oh, yeah you didn't have to the assignment scroll told me. I also know you have five siblings, you being the oldest, you were Originally from Cuba and," Keith paused here fiddling with the hem of his shorts," you and your family are no longer involved with your dad." 

Lance blinked looking somewhat defensive. His eyes narrowing and his mouth straightening, but then he sighed and slumped, nodding his head in agreement. 

Again they lapsed into silence,

"Where did you come from?" Lance asked staring out the open window.

"Heaven." Lance looked over at him his nose wrinkling and eyes glinting.

"Whats it like?" Keith blew out a breath, leaning back on his arms and swinging his legs.

" Honestly it's kinda boring. There's a lot of fruit, and white and gold."

"So, is it just like clouds and you guys flying around playing harps." Keith giggled,

"No, it looks kind of like Earth, except cleaner and the shy looks like a galaxy. And everyone has wings."

"Do all angels look like you? When I think angel I think white and pearly." Keith stilled and looked at Lance,

"Do you think I'm ugly?" He couldn't keep the shake out off his voice. Lance wasn't looking at him as he shrugged,

"Not really, you just weren't what I expected of an angel." Keith wrapped his wings around himself,

"You're right. All the other angels do look like that, they truly are lovely beings." Lance finally turned and looked at him. The sun was going down behind them and it outlined Lance's face in gold, it wove through his hair and highlighted his eyes making them a sky blue. He would make a beautiful angel Keith thought.

"Keith how-" Lance was interrupted by a call from down stairs,

"Lance! Come down and help get ready for dinner!" Lance jolted but stood,

"Coming mama!" He started towards the door before stopping and looking back at the angel on his bed. Keith cocked his head at him,

"Go, I'll be right behind you."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"He's not a baby Allura! He was an adult when he died. " Shiro groaned as he walked through the orchard with her. She laughed,

"I know, I know, but Shiro he is so cute. So cute!" Shiro rolled his eyes but huffed a laughed. 

They walked in silence through the fall part of the orchards. The birds were singing and everything had that heavenly feeling to it. Shiro sighed, time in Heaven was different than on Earth, it almost didn't exist. So even though Keith had only been on Earth a day in Heaven it had been a few months. Shiro's life had gotten quiet with out the feisty little angel to keep out of trouble. Now all he could do was watch as Keith interacted with his human from the screen in Allura's office.

"Shiro?" He jumped and turned,

"Huh, did you say something, I wasn't paying attention."Allura smiled a bit sadly,

"I asked about Adam." Shiro stopped dead for a moment before walking on.

"What of him?"

"Have you seen him yet?" Shiro shoot his head jaw tight,

"I don't know where he is, I can't see him. I don't know if it's me or him, I just can't see him." Allura lay a sympathetic hand on his shoulder,

"You will find him Shiro, or he'll find you. I promise."


	4. Chapter 4

Keith would like to say he followed Lance all the way down to the kitchen, but he didn't. He got distracted first by a cat that past him on the stairs. She was grey and had fur and bright clear blue eyes. He squatted on the stairs and cooed at her. She rubbed herself along his legs and he reached down and stroked her softly. He giggled as she lightly licked his hand. He loved cats, but he liked dogs a little better.

Keith sat there petting the cat before remembering he had a human to procect. He gently set the cat aside and hopped down the rest of the stairs. 

The living room was messy. Toys, crayons, shoes and baskets of clothes littered the floor. The entertainment center was a disaster, movies askew and video game controllers lay on the floor. A toddler sat among a pile of ripped up paper and Keith knelt next to him and flicked a piece of paper up. The toddler laughed and reached up to grab it. Keith looked down at him and the little boy looked up at him. His eyes widened and he reached up to touch Keith's face.

"What are you doing Mikey?" The toddler jumped as one of the other little kids ran over to him and scooped him off the floor.

" Mama's gonna be so mad when she sees the mess you made Mikey." Mikey ignored his brother in order to look back at Keith and extend a hand towards him. The other boy began to walk to the kitchen and Mikey made a little noise of protest before Lance took him.

Keith stood up a little dewildered. He guessed someone else besides Lance could see him. Maybe it was because Mikey was a baby and still close to Heaven. Keith shrugged and finally walked into the crowded warm kitchen. Lance stared at him as he walked in and Keith made a gesture for him to stop. Too late though,

" Is that wall interesting Lance?" One of his sister's asked laughing a bit. Lance swallowed and looked away before continuing the conversation. Keith rolled his eyes he didn't know why Lance reacted like that. They literally just had a conversation before coming down here.

The table was laiden with food and scattered plates and silverware. It was a bit crowded around that tae but the family made it work. Lance sat at the head of the table down that table from his mom, the place that would normally be taken by the father.

Mikey St by there mom and the second youngest child sat by Lance. The other three sat together on one side of the table. Keith hopped up onto to counter and folded his wings up a bit so they weren't in danger of being stepped on. Dinner began. Keith switched from conversation to conversation trying to get all of them.

" It's not my fault you have no game Marco. You followed the curse of the men in this family."

" Oh, like you're any better Laura!"

" Mikey made a mess in the living room."

" Today I learned that 4 x 9 is 36!"

Conversations bounced around like ping pong balls. The everyone had something to say.

" Lance how are applications going?" Keith locked on to this conversation between Lance and his mom. Lance had been be Spacey during dinner staring at Keith mist the time. Twice he had spilled food own his shirt.

Lance put his fork down and sighed,

" I don't know mom. I'm not sure I want to go to Altea."

" Why not it's your dream school." Lance nodded,

" Yeah I know but it's expensive." His mom put her fork down as well and stared down the table at Lance.

" You know we have enough money for Altea. You know that, what's up?" Lance looked down at his plate. Keith studied him.

" Did you find a school you like better?" Lance shook his head.

_He's going to lie._

Keith met Lance's eye as he lifted his eyes. Keith shook his head,

" Tell her the truth. Whatever it is. Tell her, she loves you dearly."

Lance swallowed and licked his lips,

" Nyma isn't going to college." Keith watched as Lance's mom sat back in her chair. She watched Lance and sighed,

" Lance, sweety I know right now Nyma seems like the future, but trust me when I say if you miss this opportunity to go to your dream school to be what you've always wanted, in the end she won't be worth it."

Keith studied the women in front of him closer. Her name was Rosa Almanza Martinez. He saw a bit into a past understanding her better to better help Lance. She lived in Californian and when she was eightteen she ran away with a man. She got pregnant and he left her. Her parents wouldn't take her back so she went to live with her aunt. She lost the baby. Keith felt a wave of sympathy towards Rosa, all her relationships had ended on bad terms. Even with the man that gave her her six children. This woman was strong and loved her children very much.

Lance was quiet,

" I know mom, and I really do want to go to Altea. I really do I just, I don't know."

Lance's oldest sister leaned across the table and smirked at him,

" Dump her. She's a * censor* anyway."

" Mia!" Rosa snapped at her daughter. Mia threw her hands up defensively pushing he glasses up her nose.

" What? It's true!" Keith looked at Lance who was laughing so hard he saw crying. He waved a hand at her while wiping his eyes with his other,

" Oh man. Oh man! That wasn't even that funny." He leaned back in his chair,

"You are not wrong though."

His mom sent him an exasperated look and Mia sat back looking pleased. Lance looked over at Keith a sparkel in his eye and a satisfied look in his eyes.

*~*~*~*~

"He is doing well, but I don't think he understands his own power or what exactly he can do." Coran said to Shiro. Shiro nodded glumly,

" Well he didn't get a gaurdian himself so how should he know." Coran hummed in agreement.

" Yes his arrangement was quite unfortunate." Allura perked her head up,

"What happened exactly?" Coran looked over at Shiro to explain .

" I was meant to be his gaurdian. He died before I could go to him." Realization flashed through Allura's eyes and she reached for Shiro's hand. She took it and squeezed it,

"I'm so sorry Shiro."


	5. Chapter 5

" Hah! You are real!" Lance shouted as he slammed his bedroom door. Dinner was over and all the chores were done. Lance had been sending him glances all throughout the remainder if the meal and after words. Keith crossed his arms and frowned in confusion.

" Yeah? I thought we established that I was real." Lance laughed and flopped onto his bed folding his arms behind his head.

" I know, but you totally told me not to lie to my mom. It went so well! I was like freaking out that she would freak out if she ever found out. I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

Keith smiled his wings fluffing in pride. He had helped Lance make a good decision and the end result was fantastic.

" Yeah, sometimes telling the truth is the best thing you can do." He grimaced at the end his sentence. His wings drooping a bit. He was a hypocrite. When he was alive all he ever did was lie.

Lance was sitting up now watching him,

" You don't have to stand by the door you know. You're my gaurdian angel so we're like buddies now. Come on." Lance patted the spot on his bed next to him. Keith felt a little shy as he sat on the bed next to him.

The room was quiet the whole house was quiet. Every one had gone to bed. One of Lance's sisters had the radio on in her room across the hall. A nieghbors dog barked, a car drove past, the breeze swayed the broken blinds trapped at the top of Lance's window.

Keith felt peaceful in the cluttered bedroom at the top of the stairs next to his ward. Lance had quite a presence. He radiated sunshine and joy for the world around him, he was full of laughter and mischief. Still though under the positive joy and happiness was an old anger and resentment. It loomed like a black cloud and Lance fought it deligently, tried to keep it under wraps pushed it to the back of his mind. Keith already hated it and resolved inside himself to help Lance with his cloud.

" You know it really is strange having a gaurdian angel. Like you're going to have my back all the time. That's kinda cool." Keith turned and gave Lance a small smile, and he gave one in return. Lance's face a held a softness to it as he reached up and tilted Keith's halo to a straight position. His hands moved down and dropped into Keith's hair, running through the locks.

" I just can't believe you're real." The sentence was uttered in a whisper a quiet reverence. Keith couldn't do anything but nod as his stomach did an odd flip.

" I am real Lance and I'm here to protect you." Lance removed his hand from Keith's hair.

" I think my little brother can see you" Lance said as his eyes tracked the swirls of gold up Keith's arm. Keith sighed,

" Yes I know. I think it's because he's a baby, he's closer to heaven. All babies are. I think." Lance chuckeled,

" You think?" Keith ducked behind his wing his face feeling hot.

" I'm new to all this, I'm not overly confident in all the odds and ends of heaven."

Lance made a cooing noise and poked at Keith's wing,

"You are so cute!" Keith huffed dropping his wing.

" No I'm not. I'm a celestial being of great importance." Lance started laughing at that and flopped back on to his bed a contented sigh leaving his lips.

"What ever you say my little angel."

👼👼👼👼👼

" Coran what are you doing?" Shiro asked as he entered the office. Coran was at his desk pressing his temples and staring intently doen at the frightened looking hamster on his desk.

" Allura says she can understand them and that talk to her. I'm trying to get them to talk to me." Shiro chuckeled and walked over to a bookshelf leaving Coran to further terrorize the poor hamster. Shiro ran his fingers iver the books on the shelves, his lips moving as he silently read the titles.

" What are you doing Shiro?" Coran asked after he got frustrated and let the hamster go. He strode over to stand shoulder to shoulder with Shiro 

" I uh, I'm looking for a book on lost souls." Coran made a noise in the back of his throat.

" Allura told me about your husband." Shiro flinched and slowly turned to Coran,

"She did?" Coran nodded reaching up and sliding a book of a higher shelf.

" She did. And Shiro," Coran turned and pressed the book into Shiro's chest, " if Keith was able to find his way back so will Adam. Don't give up hope." Shiro looked down at the book, _Lost Souls._ A simple title but it shone like a ray of sunshine Shiro. He may be able to find him after all.


	6. Chapter 6

It was Saturday morning when Keith woke up and he only knew that because Lance's phone lit up with a notification and he could see the time and date. He was going to have to get used to Earth time again. He uncurled from his perch above Lance's bed and dropped to the floor. He stretched his wings and scratched his stomach while blearily looking around the room. It was still dark out but he could see light appearing from the East over the many buildings.

Keith yawned and rubbed his eyes tempted to curl up again. Shiro had always been strict with getting him up early. He said it would give Keith a new look on the day if he saw the sun rise. And even though Keith hated mornings with a passion, Heaven's sunrises were worth it. Besides he always ended up napping in the orchards anyway.

Keith tucked his wings up against his body and peered over at Lance. He lay on his stomach without a single blanket on his bed, drooling all over the pillow. Keith giggled and reached out to poke at Lance's exposed side. Lance groaned when Keith poked him and shifted his head away from his original drool pile. Keith pouted when his attempts to rouse the boy went unheeded. He walked around to the other side of the he bed and stepped on something soft. 

The worn teddy bear lay on the floor, discarded again. Keith sighed in disappointment as he picked up the bear. He had been hoping Lance would notice it himself. Keith was going to have to find a way to get him to pay attention to the bear agian. But right now he needed to wake Lance up.

Keith reached across the bed and tugged on Lance's ear, a trick Shiro often used to get him up. It did nothing. Keith huffed again and finally decided he could do only one other thing. Getting as close to Lance's ear as he could he shouted.

" LANCE! GET UP." That worked. Lance shot up with a yelp and tumbled over the side of the bed. Keith reacted faster then he thought possible and caught Lance before he hit the ground.

" I'm sorry. I didn't think you would try to fly, when all I did was wake you up." Lance was glaring at him. His hair was a disaster and a small trail of dried drool led from the corner of his mouth to his chin. Lance continued to glare until his sleepy brain caught up with him and he realised him and Keith were chest to chest. Bare chest to chest. Lance scrambled out of his arms and sat back on his bed, face bright red and glowering.

" Don't you have like a shirt you could wear?" Lance asked his voice kinda high. Keith tilted his head in confusion,

" Why would I need to wear a shirt? We don't in heaven." Lance turned and muttered something that was censored out in Keith's head.

" Okay well on Earth people normally don't walk around half naked." Keith was still really confused.

" But Lance you're the only one who can see me?" Lance ran a hand down his face before getting up and walking over to his dresser.

" Yeah I know that. Now here just wear this." He tossed Keith a hoodie that said _Castle of Lions Public Pool._ Keith giggled as he looked at it,

" You're a life guard! I understand the whole pool water thing now!" Lance groaned and leaned his head on the top of his dresser.

" You need to stop. Your killing me." Keith's wings stiffened in alarm and he stepped away from Lance worry creasing his face.

" I'm sorry, I don't know what I did but I guess I'll stop now." Lance turned towards him and let out a sigh,

" You aren't actually killing me. It's a figure of speech. You just, ugh, you." Keith stood there blinking at him figuring out what he was saying.

" So you aren't actually going to fall over dead if I come over to you?" Lance's face looked a little pained before he shook his head.

Keith smiled,

" Oh good cuz I'm going to need your help putting this on." Lance's face reddened a little and he looked up at the ceiling muttering something. Keith watched him, " are you praying?" Lance looked down at him a small smile quirking his lips,

" Oh yeah, I'm praying. Now come here and I'll help you."

It took fifteen very long difficult minutes to get Keith comfortably into the hoodie. His wings were pressed up against his back and Lanc promised to cut holes for them later.

Lance stepped back and admired his work. The edge of the hoodie brushed the bottom of Keith's shorts and the sleeves hung over his hands. Keith lifted his arms and flapped his hands giggling at the effect it created. Lance turned away face feeling hot again.

" Lance! Come down for breakfast!" Lance sighed and looked longingly back at his bed. He stripped off his shirt and picked one off of the floor. He smelled it and kinda winced before pulling it on. Keith wrinkeled his nis in disgust,

" You have clean clothes in your wardrobe why didn't you just wear one of those? " Lance shook his hair cut with a hand and peered over at Keith.

" I don't want to walk all the way over there, plus it's Saturday so I don't have to care." Then Lance walked over to the door flung it open and flaunted down the stairs cursing at the bottom as he tripped over something and crashed to the floor. Keith smiled smuggly after he let him fall.

When Keith finally made it down to join Lance his mom was talking to him while simultaneously pinning a braid in place and pouring cereal. Lance was nodding along to what she was saying while bouncing Mikey on his hip.

" We'll be back around four. The dentist office may call, just tell them we're still on for the appointment on Monday. Other then that be safe and have a good day." She kissed both boys on the forehead and called one of his sisters down the stairs.

Then there was bustling and rushing with Lance helping find shoes coats and feeding breakfast. Keith helped by moving things into more obvious places, scooting teetering bowls back onto the table, and finding Rosa's keys when no one else could. Then the house was almost entirely empty. Just him Lance and baby Mikey who found great enjoyment in flinging food at both Lance and Keith.

Keith sat with Lance while he tried to put Mikey to sleep a few hours later. Mikey seemed to have made up his mind that he was not going to sleep. Lance groaned and flopped his head back against the cushions behind him on the couch.

" Please Mikey please just sleep. You are tired, I know you are." Mikey fisted Lance's hair harder and whined. Lance hissed through his teeth in pain. Keith felt a shiver up his spine at that sound and everything in his body was telling him to help. Keith sat forward towards Lance,

" Can I hold him?" Lance nodded and pried little fingers away from his hair. He handed a now balling Mikey to Keith. Keith took him and craddled him against his chest. Mikey quieted almost immediately and let out a watery sigh ad he nuzzled into the hoodie. Keith stared down at him as he fell asleep.

" You're glowing." Lance whispered in awe. Keith looked up and shrugged. They sat in silence until Lance got up to take Mikey to his bed. When he lifted Mikey off his chest Keith looked down at his hands, he was glowing but it was softly receding. Keith felt a bit of frustration rise in him. Here was yet another thing he didn't know angels could do. He looked up at the ceiling and not for the first time wished Shiro was here to guide him.

Keith heard Lance coming down the stairs before he saw him. He was talking on the phone and Keith watched him with curiosity. Lance said something along the lines of, yes. Of course you can come over you're my bro, before hanging up and falling gracelessly onto the couch next to Keith. His phone dangled from his hand,

" I wonder when my mom will realize I can't babysit at all." Lance chuckeled a little before turning to face Keith, " you were pretty good with him. He calmed right down after you took him. Maybe you should be the babysitter now." Keith shrugged,

"You are a good babysitter. Your siblings feel safe and loved around you. They know you would never let anything happen to them. Mikey was just having a bad day." Keith pauses and looks meaningfully at Lance, " babies can have them too." Lance laughed all while staring at Keith.

" Where we're mins keys?" Keith shrugged again,

" Under the cat bed. I think sh had something for shiny objects."

" How on Earth did you know to even look there." Keith smiled,

" No idea." They deseanded into silence that was puncuated only by the ruffle of Keith's wings under the straining fabric of the he hoodie. Keith focused on the atmosphere in order to read the situation. He made a noise as his senses were ambushed by feelings. 

One of the windows in the girls room was loose and could cause danger. They needed to update their smoke alarms. The neighbors son had gotten a new pistol and was already being irresponsible. The back screen door couldn't be locked. Lance was feeling frustration at himself over so many things Keith doubled over onto his knees, squeezing his hands to his head as he was assualted by the negative self damming feelings. A spike of concern tore across his mind. He latched onto that and held on.

Keith wouldn't exactly call it mind reading, more like emotion surfing. He felt as if he were being pulled in every direction. Lance's mind was layer upon layer of covered up anger and hatred. Almost like a painting that the artist couldn't get right. The too layer being a thining layer of smiles and laughter. Keith felt like crying. He didn't really know what was going on besides te fact that he was feeling some of the things Lance wouldn't allow himself to feel. And Keith hated it.

All of theses feelings were boiling in Lance reaching critical before it would explode. And when it did it would not be good. Keith should know.

Keith stumbled through the layers of thick emotion until he came upon a lighter area. Keith was struck by a sense of deja Vu, it was uncannily like that stairs. This showed the beautiful joy brought on by real friends and family. This was what Keith needed to bring up to the surface.

" Keith!" His head cleared and he whimpered still bent over his knees. Lance was calling his name and he looked up.

" Are you okay? You're crying." Keith brought a hand to touch his face, his fingers touched wet cheeks and he hiccupped. Suddenly he hated the hoodie. He wanted nothing more then to wrap his wings around himself and hide away until he figured out everything.

" I'm sorry. That was really scary. I didn't know I could do that. Shiro never told me anything really." He mumbled the last part and hiccupped again. Lance reached a tentative hand out and touched Keith's halo which had fallen croaked.

" Can I hug you?" Keith started his cheeks flushing before nodding.

Lance wrapped his arms around Keith to the best of his ability with his wings and all, and squeezed him. It felt so nice warm and comfortable and safe. Keith nuzzled a little into Lance's shirt,

"You would make a pretty great angel." Lance gave a breathy laugh,

" Maybe but, this has got to be one of the best hugs I've ever gotten, and you aren't even doing anything." Keith giggled his shoulders relaxing as Lance started to radiate a true happiness. Good. Maybe more hugs would be needed.

*†*†*†*†*†*†

Shiro watched the screen in Allura's office with a pained expression. Allura stood off to his right her face mirroring his.

" I should have told him more about being a Guardian. I should have warned him about how in tune he would be with his ward." Allura shook her head when though Shiro had his back to her,

" You cannot blame yourself for this. You were never a Gaurdian, you can't take it upon yourself to teach him an art you barely know. And look," she motioned to the screen," he handeled it well. So did Lance."

" You're right, it was just hard I've never seen him cry before." Allura smiled,

" He really is so adorable." Shiri groaned and was about to retort when Coran came in. He held a scroll,

" Shiro, you need to see this. I think I may have found something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Just wanted to say thank you for the comments and love I've been receiving on this story. The next few chapters will be longer and may take a while to get out. Stay tuned!


	7. Chapter 7

They stayed wrapped in the embrace until Lance pulled away looking Keith up and down.

" Your wings hurt don't they?" Keith shrugged wanting to hug Lance again.

" Yeah, a little bit. I'm not really used to them being so restrained." Lance nodded and running his palms down his legs and looking around the living room.

" Stay here I'm gonna go get scissors." Lance jogged out of the room and Keith bit his lip feeling the need to both follow Lance and stay. Lance would be fine, he'd be fine. He was just in the other room. He reached up and fiddled with his tilted halo. Pushing it right only for it to fall croaked again, he huffed and got distracted trying to get the stupid thing to stay straight.

He was startled by Lance laughing in the door way. He walked over to Keith on the couch and sat down behind him.

" Lift your arms." Lance said lowly and pulled the hoodie off of him. Keith's wings sprung out and whapped Lance hard in the face. Lance cried out and jerked back hand flying to his face. Keith let out a whimper and spun around to see what damage his stupid wings did.

" I'm so sorry Lance, I didn't mean to!" Lance waved the hand that wasn't clamped over his nose in Keith's direction.

" It's fine, I should have thought that might happen." Lance smiled at him even though his eyes were watery and his nose looked a bit swollen. Keith winced and looked away,

" It's not okay, my wings are just so big and ugly. Even Shiro got frustrated with them."

" Who's Shiro?" Lance asked as he cut holes into the hoodie on his lap. Keith sighed looking at the ceiling,

" Don't tell him this but he's like my brother. He helped me so much when I first came to heaven. He takes care of me. He let me stay at my his place until he helped me find my own." Lance nodded looking a little puzzled.

"Arms up." Keith lifted his arms and Lance helped him put on the modified hoodie. " I thought there would be like mansions or something in heaven." The hoodie slid into place and Keith wriggled his wings through sighing at the freedom. 

" Feels good?" Lance asked smiling. Keith nodded before answering Lance's question,

" There are mansions in heaven for people but I was unexpected so I don't have one."

" What do you mean unexpected? How did you die?"

It was a question Keith hadn't had to answer or think about for a long time. Keith looked Lance straight in the eyes,

" I killed myself." Lance stared at him eyes wide.

"Why?" It was whispered softly.

" Because my life was dark and I was alone. I felt like life would be better off with out me so I killed my self." Lance grabbed his hand squeezing it gently,

" I'm so sorry, I'm sorry Keith." The emotions Lance was feeling made Keith's eyes water. He was supposed to be protecting Lance not the other way around. He squeezed Lance's hand back.

" It's over, it's done, and now my purpose is to protect you. My purpose is you now. And I'm so happy I'm here." Keith smiled softly at him and Lance returned it. He opened his mouth as if to ask Keith something else but was interrupted by a door slamming shut and someone calling out for Lance.

"Lance?! You here?" Lance reluctantly and turned away from Keith to look into the kitchen,

"Yeah Hunk, I'm here in the living room". A large guy carrying a tray container of something walked into the living room.

"Hey man I thought you died. I can normally here you singing half a block away." He sauntered around the couch and began to sit right on top of where Keith was. He had to flap his wings in frenzied bursts to get out of the way. He settled in the air sitting criss cross apple sauce above them huffing a little.

Hunk settled into his spot and Lance pulled his legs up onto the couch. Hunk handed Lance the container looking proud as Lance opened in and sniffed the contents. Keith studied Hunk from his perch. He radiated am aura of peace and kindness. He viewed the world as a forgiving place with tomorrow always there to start over. He was gentle and sweet. You could practically see his halo already.

" Dude is this from your hoodie?" Hunk was holding up the two jagged pieces they had cut out of the hoodie. Lance swallowed what ever he had been chewing and looked a bit nervously at the the fabric.

"Uh, no?" Hunk quirked his eyebrow at him, and set the fabric back on the couch gently. He gave Lance a look and Lance rolled his eyes looking away.

"Bro, I know things are hard for you right now but if you need to talk I'm here." Hunk said it meaningfully and patted Lance on the knee. Lance huffed and knocked a fist gently into Hunk's shoulder,

" I know. Now lets go play videos games." Hunk cheered and the sprung from the couch heading up the stairs. Lance's phone left on the couch.

Keith followed behind them teaching himself how far he could expand his wings before they knocked into the wall. He could barely fly but barely flying was better then no flying.

The boys were talking about the game they were setting up Hunk going off on a ran about this or that. Lance nodding along as he hooked up the game. Keith settled on Lance's bed and watched them in wonder. He remembered vaguely playing video games, in a dim room, with shouting going on outside the door. Huh. What an odd memory.

The game started up suddenly scaring Keith. His wings flared out and he hit the bedside table knocking a picture and Lance's alarm clock off. Hunk Jumped at stared at the spot on the floor where they had landed. Lance looked at Keith eyes wide and questioning. Keith gave him a helpless look.

" Dude, have you ever considered that your house is haunted?" Hunk looked back at him wide eyed, " dude Pidge would love this we gotta call them!" Lance waved his hands around,

" I highly doubt my house is haunted. It has no dark history, neither does the block." Hunk waved him off already setting up his phone pointed in the direction Keith was sitting. Keith frowned at it wings ruffling uncomfortably. Lance was watching in amusement.

" Maybe it's blessed." Keith gave him a deadpanned look and Hunk snorted.

" No man it's totally haunted." Lance shrugged smiling at Keith before turning back to the game.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Allura brought a hand to her mouth as she watched Keith tell Lance his story. It explained so much about the little angel. It made her feel exceptionally sad. A very human feeling she had not experienced in a long long time.

She turned away from the image of the angel and his ward, Coran was flicking scroll after scroll off of shelves. Going through them before discarding them then going through more. Finally he dropped one before pausing and snatching up one that he had dropped on the floor. He whirled around and sprinted out the office. Allura looked after him before turning her face to the ceiling and praying.


	8. Chapter 8

" Am I going to hell?" Keith raised an eyebrow at Lance who was sprawled across his bed. Keith was sitting on the floor recovering from the day spent with Lance at school.

" What makes you say that?" Lance rolled onto his stomach to stare at Keith. He looked way to happy to even be considering actually going to hell.

" Because I'm about as straight as a rainbow." Keith blinked confused. He brought a hand to his mouth chewing on his thumb as he tried to understand what Lance was implying. " Dude, I'm Bi. As in I like girls and _guys._ " Keith nodded still lost,

"I knew that. I don't really understand what you mean though." Lance laughed,

" I thought that gays weren't allowed in heaven." A spike of concern shot through Keith clashing with the teasing feeling radiating of Lance. He turns so they are face to face, bringing his hands up to Lance's shoulders,

"Is somebody not excepting you? It seemed like your mom was fine with it." The teasing turned to slightly confused,

"No, I mean yeah, my moms cool with it, everyone is actually. But I thought God wasn't?" Then it clicked and Keith let out a little 'oh' of realization. His wings puffed up a little bit in embarrassment for not understanding sooner.

" Well, I made it, somehow. And Shiro made it. So yeah I think you'll get in just fine." Lance let out a laugh reaching over to tug on Keith's hair,

" I had a feeling you weren't all that straight." Keith smiled and laughed along with Lance. The feeling the conversation was making Keith feel was so human it was almost scary. It was something he thought he had lost when he died and became an angle. He relished in the feeling now.

" I noticed you were all puffy when we got home, school wasn't to overwhelming was it?" Keith shrugged and ran a hand through his feathers.

"A little. But even before I died things like school were overwhelming." He stretched his left wing out as he stretchered his back. " You also have a lot of things targeting you to, so that didn't help." Lance sat up mimicking Keith in his stretch,

" Explain targeting, cause to me that's snipers on the roof." Keith nodded,

" It can be many things. Dumb things you were gonna do, things that would have caused you embarrassment,people out to hurt you, snipers on the roof." Keith shot Lance a smile after the last one. Lance nodded thinking for a bit,

" So you can protect me from anything?" Keith started to nod before stopping.

" I can protect you from anything you'll let me. Things that you wouldn't notice, I can protect you from in a heartbeat. Somethings though you can choose to shut me out of. You did that today." Lance quirked a brow at that. " You don't have to realize you're doing. It sometimes just happens." As Keith finished speaking it dawned on him that he had no idea where the knowledge he was spewing was coming from.

" So like what could you not protect me from?" Keith was dragged from his tumbling thoughts by the question. 

" Well, I'm not entirely sure. It was a few things." Lance nudged him when he paused to mull over how to explain it to Lance. " You, uh, have like things you pushed down in your mind? Like, I don't know how to explain it to you." Lance's eyebrow rose impossible higher, and Keith buried his face in his hands. He shot up as a thought came to him," The girl!"

" You've lost me." Lance said. Keith groaned,

" The blonde one, blue eyes. The one you were with all day." Keith said. Lance's face shut off at that. Keith pointed at his face,

" See, like that." Lance blanched, pulling himself further up the bed. Keith could feel the connection between them shutting off and it panicked him. He jumped onto his feet his wings momentarily over balancing him and tripping him up. He caught himself on the bed.

" I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you, or your feelings!" Guilt shot through the connection. Lance pushed himself onto his knees reaching for Keith's shoulders, he gripped them and gently pushed Keith down onto the bed.

" Hey, hey, no. you're fine. You didn't hurt my feelings. It's my fault. You're just doing your job." Keith nodded feeling ashamed but relieved as the situation diffused itself.

" You really worry way to much about how I react to things." Lance said sitting on the bad next to Keith and fiddling with some of the his long feathers. Keith shrugged,

" I can feel what you feel, and I get scared you aren't gonna want me anymore." Lance made an odd noise in the back of his throat,

" You're not a toy, Keith. I'm not just going to decide one day that I don't want you. What makes you think I wouldn't want you anymore?" Keith ran his hand through his feathers over and over again, pulling at them.

" I'm ugly. And I bud into your feelings and emotions, and I found your little bear and I touch your stuff and am probably annoying. And, I'm ugly." Lance stared at him much like the time he first they met.

" Keith, I-I don't even know what to say. But you're not annoying and your are the furthest thing from ugly I have ever seen. You're not annoying either." Lance paused and considered for a little, " What bear?" Keith bit his lip and stood up,

" Don't get mad okay? I was hoping you'd see him yourself, but it's been awhile so..." Keith walked around the bed and picked up the bear. He nestled it into his arm like it was a baby. Lance was watching him, his emotions a mix of confusion , sympathy and something that was muddy along the connection. Making it hard for Keith to read it.

He walked back over to Lance and presented him with the bear. Lance stared at it before taking it tentatively from Keith.

" Oh, this bear." Melancholy overwhelmed the connection. Lance petted over the rough fur and smiled a little shakily. Keith settled onto the floor and tucked his legs up watching Lance hold the bear.

" He was sad you left him." Lance flicked his eyes from the bear to Keith,

" It's a bear Keith, a fake bear. It can't feel anything." Lance sounded like he was about to cry. Keith nodded humming.

" No he can't, but there are memories connected to him. They caused you to ignore him." Lance traced the bears face an intense sadness filling the connection.

" He was the last thing I got from my grandma. She died a few years ago. I miss her a lot." Lance sank heavily onto the bed. Keith got up and gently worked his way behind Lance wrapping him up in his wings and arms. Lance sighed and leaned against him, letting the bear splay on his stomach. A random flash of hope shot through the connection,

" She's in heaven. You prove it exists. She's with grandpa and her sister." Lance was smiling now and playing with the bear on his stomach. A contended feeling washed over the connection.

" Thank you Keith."

~*~*~*~*~*

Allura had taken to watching the screen and Keith's progress. She found herself laughing and cooing over the angel, as he slowly learned his abilities. Coran and Shiro had been working tirelessly to find anything they could on Adam.

She found herself watching sadly as Keith admitted that he found himself ugly. He wasn't. He just looked different. To her he was more beautiful then the other angels. Full of color. She watched as Keith presented his ward with a bear, she watched him hold him. She decided that when she wasn't busy or watching over Keith, she would look for Lance's grandma, to tell her her grandson is doing fine. 

She smiled to herself as she walked out of the office. Shiro looked up at her alarmed,

"Whats wrong?" Allura laughed,

" Nothing, nothing at all. We made the right choice by making him a guardian." 


	9. Chapter 9

It didn't rain in Heaven. Which Keith thought was a terrible crime. He had forgotten what rain felt like, but standing under the downpour, one wing stretched out to cover Lance, he remembered his love for it. He had tried wrestling off his hoodie when they had stepped out of the school and it was raining. Lance had made a strangled noise and tugged it back down over Keith's hips. Keith had frowned at him crossing his arms and was bowled over by a wave of emotion he couldn't translate.

He could however tip his face up to the sky and feel the rain run in rivulets down it. Rain brought so many memories back to him. Some good and some not so good, but it was rain. Glorious glorious rain. Lance grumbled and rubbed his hands up and down his arms. He didn't like rain. Or maybe he was just cold. Either way Keith turned to him,

" Why are we waiting here?" Lance sighed pulling his phone out and looking down at it briefly before sliding it back into his pocket.

"Mom has to come get me today. So we have to wait for her." Keith nodded. Lance had been keeping his thoughts carefully cloaked today but every once and awhile a spurt of anger or anxiety would make it's way through his well constructed wall. It worried Keith and made him feel useless. If Lance wouldn't open up to him then there was nothing he could do. He couldn't force himself onto Lance. Something told him bad things would happen if he did.

"Where did you live before you died Keith?" Keith looked over at him. He bit his lip. He couldn't really remember. He had panicked once he couldn't remember but Shiro told him it was common among angles. Keith thought his halo slipping as his tried to think. It had been hot, sometimes. Moderate others. There had been a lot of people, sometimes. Just him and someone else others. It was frustrating.

" I'm not really sure. I can't remember. I think I lived in a lot of places." Lance nodded distractedly and Keith felt his wings droop in disappointment. He reached up and pilled down his halo pouting at it.

Lance's attention was pulled to the circle of glowing material in Keith's hands.

"That thing doesn't like to cooperate does it?" Keith shook his head and jammed it back above his head. It tilted sideways again. Lance laughed and tried to right it. Keith felt his wing rise. Maybe he hadn't messed up as bad.   
Lance checked his phone again and stepped out from the shelter of Keith's wing.

"Come on there's a mall a little ways from here. Lets get out of the rain." Keith stretched his wings and gladly stepped out into the rain with Lance. He stepped in as many puddles as he could manage as they made their way up the street. Lance watched him the whole time, mouth occasionally quirking up in a smile. Keith counted that as a win.

They crossed over a little bridge and Keith sucked in a sharp breath as he saw the mall loom before them. One giant building full of danger and people, and a Lance that wasn't allowing him to read him

" Why do you want to go in there again?" Lance shrugged and continued walking,

" It's cold out here and I'm tired of being wet." Keith nodded hesitantly. He was probably just being worried for no reason. Lance would be fine. He probably came to this place a lot before Keith was even trailing him anyways.

They walked through the doors and Keith subconsciously tucked his wings up. It looked like a regular mall. Teenagers walking around with bored looks on their faces. Mothers wrangled children who were crying on the floor because their mom's didn't have change for the vending machines. Even a few elders walked around. They passed an old lady who watched Keith a gummy smile on here face. It made Keith's wings poof up. He pressed closer to Lance.

Keith got bored pretty fast. Lance flitted in and out of stores. Looking at this or that. Never talking to him, and Keith never daring to talk to him or pick up anything. Lance had yet to buy anything as they rode the escalator up to the second floor. A movie theater took up most of the room but a few shops still lined the walls. Lance walked with purpose down the hall, as if he knew where he was going. Keith bristled as they neared the end of the hall where it got darker. His palms began to sweat and his wings ached. His legs grew heavy. Finally he reached out and grabbed Lance's arm.

" We shouldn't go further." Lance raised an eyebrow at him.

" Why? I've been to this mall a thousand times. The arcade is down there." Keith shook his head. He was almost vibrating with the need to get Lance out of there.

"No. We need to go back to where there are people." 

" What is it?" Keith shook his head. He couldn't tell. Not fully. He probably would be able to tell if Lance gave him full access to his mind. Seeing the place from Lance's perspective would help him identify the threat.

" A person wishes to do you harm there. I don't know why or how but they do." They stared at each other fo a few seconds. "Please listen to me." Lance's eyes darted around his face before he nodded and began walking back towards the escalator. Keith sighed out a breath. He followed Lance his wings spread out behind him covering Lance's back. All the way down.

~*~

They ended up in a candy shop. Lance eating a handful of gummy bears and Keith looking over the assortment of candy. They also didn't have candy in heaven. Yet another crime. He finally returned to the table in time for Lance to slid him a piece of paper. Written on it was: _Lets talk like this I'm lonely:(_

Keith laughed at the frowny face and settled into the pink chair across from Lance. He replied with a simple 'okay',cringing at his sloppy writing. Lance waved him away when Keith started to look concerned. They talked back and forth for a while passing the paper back and forth, Keith becoming more comfortable as his hands remembered writing.

The barrier Lance put up slowly came down and Keith felt Lance's renewing happiness and calm flood through the link. Exhaustion only slightly underlying it. Lance didn't close their link again. When his mom showed up Lance discreetly handed him a handful of gummy bears, he didn't know if he could eat them. He squeezed them if his palm and made faces at Mickey all the way home.

~^~^~^~^

"Shiro." Coran turned to him his brow pinched tight his mouth a thin line. He held up a scroll. Shiro pushed the pile that had accumulated on his lap off and crossed the room to Coran's side. 

He read over his shoulder his mouth becoming increasingly dry as he did. He stopped reading halfway through,

"No. No, i refuse to let that happen. Coran that shouldn't be possible." Coran looked ashen,

"It is though." Shiro ran his hands through his hair pacing. He paced to the end of the room before returning to Coran,

"He doesn't know about this, He should be fine. Right? Coran?" Coran retied the scroll and sighed,

"I don't know if I'm being honest with you. We can only pray."

**Author's Note:**

> There will be more chapters. I really feel confident in this story. I will update when I can. Cheers!


End file.
